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The Cancer in OC’s Democratic Party

It’s become increasingly apparent that Orange Juice blogger Greg Diamond’s “advocacy” on political matters is hurting the Democratic Party in Orange County and our candidates more than helping it. His combative style, bullying tactics with those he disagrees with, and demands for attention in OC’s news media are a distraction at worst and a detriment at best when it comes to appealing to independent and DTS voters our party needs to get candidates elected. And with each passing week and month, it just gets worse for Diamond rather than better. But’s it’s time to give Diamond some of the attention he craves.

Diamond was ousted from a leadership position as the DPOC’s North Vice Chair; two thirds of the vote were required and the party dumped him with a 70-30 split. Now .300 is good if your a hitter in baseball at any level, but its abysmal in every other respect. And with each new blog post, each appearance at DPOC meetings, and in interactions with various members of the Central Committee and DPOC regulars that grow increasingly negative, Diamond’s stature declines further and his poor reputation starts to drag down those associated with him.

Where to begin:

Diamond all but endorsed Conservative Republican Tom Tait for re-election to the Anaheim mayoral race at Monday’s DPOC endorsement meeting claiming Democrat and former Council member Lorri Galloway wasn’t a “viable candidate” and that her presence in the race would prompt a Lucille Kring victory. Given the last two campaigns that Diamond himself has run as a candidate, he’d be an expert in what constitutes “viable candidacies.”

Diamond has written before that his poorly-run candidacy for state senate in 2012, well documented by OC Weekly’s R. Scott Moxley, was designed to keep Bob Huff away from Sharon Quirk-Silva’s assembly race in 2012. The reality is SQS ran a smart campaign focused on November and not June and had a great GOTV effort. Huff’s considerable financial resources were more than available to help Chris Norby, but Huff really didn’t, making Diamond’s claims factual only in his mind but not in reality.

Diamond routinely brings up his thousands of hours of volunteering time with Occupy, a leaderless organization where Diamond assigned himself a position that would allow him to chat with the press. While Occupy did a nice job nationally to call attention to the plight of the 99%, it failed to elect any candidates to OC office who strongly identified with the Occupy movement.

Diamond is proud of his race against District Attorney Tony Rackauckas even thought T-Rack’s margin of victory was one of the biggest out there in the June primary. There are a certain number of voters who will always vote for whatever candidate has a particular party affiliation or against any incumbent, not necessarily for Greg Diamond. Diamond had one public fundraiser, campaigned primarily via blog posts on the Orange Juice, and had missing information on a poorly designed website. His race for the water district seat will surely be as inept as his race for DA.

Diamond has already predicted his victory in the water district election over incumbent Brett Barbre; but in Diamond’s mind, a victory usually means he got 30% of the vote and provided voters with a choice. That’s not a victory, it’s delusional thinking.

Diamond’s latest pitch is for the DPOC, an organization in much better financial shape these days, to fork over $5,000 a year to political operatives in Ferguson, MO to help African-American candidates run for and win city council seats; many Democrats in OC would prefer to keep the cash right here to benefit Democratic candidates in this county. It’s not the DPOC’s charter to help Democrats anywhere but in OC.

Generally speaking, one gets the impression Diamond wants to run the party here in OC and is much like Tom Tait…a “my way or the highway” kind of person. In a party that is supposed to have a big tent that embraces many ideas, Diamond routinely denigrates and attempts to harm the reputation of anyone who has a different position from himself.

Diamond is unaware of how many people just reject his brand of politics; every anonymous commenter is either me or Matt Cunningham. I don’t have a single IP anonymizer on my systems and they know my IP address at OJ. But conspiracy theorists need an enemy.

Under the page of “you can’t pick your in-laws,” Diamond is the brother-in-law of long time party activist Jeff Letourneau and Jeff was seen working Central Committee members over to sway enough no votes to save Diamond’s North Vice Chair position. It didn’t work because when the vote came down, there were several members who were considered Diamond “friends” who voted for explusion. The lobbying has hurt Letourneau as well with some Central Committee members telling me his association with Diamond is hurting him. Jeff needs to know you can’t pick your in-laws. Jeff actually gave his time to speak at the last meeting for Lorri Galloway to address the Party at Monday’s meeting in defiance of his brother-in-law’s recommendation that she not be endorsed.

Oddly enough, Republicans who want Lucille Kring to win in Anaheim, use Tait’s affiliation with Diamond and support of Dr. Jose Moreno to paint Tait as a faux conservative. Tait and Kring are likely to split the Republican vote in Anaheim. Tait wants to peel off Democratic and Latino votes that represent Galloway’s base. Galloway’s strong track record of working with Republicans on the council to get positive progressive change done in Anaheim is well documented. The more Diamond promotes Tait, the more it hurts Tait with Republicans.

About the only elected Democrats that ever seem to get nothing but praise from Diamond are State Rep. Sharon Quirk-Silva and Garden Grove mayoral candidate Bao Nguyen. Loretta Sanchez, Tom Daly, Lou Correa, Larry Agran, Beth Krom, Jordan Brandman — all with several election wins under their belts — have earned Diamond’s scorn on more than one occasion. If only Diamond were so critical of Republicans.

Diamond’s recent post on Orange Juice, about supporting efforts to elect more African-American candidates in Ferguson, MO, has merit but he wants to spend other people’s money to do this — namely the DPOC. I’d rather see DPOC money staying here to pay the organization’s bills, support candidates who need more fundraising help, fund GOTV initiatives and voter registration drives and bank some for a rainy day. Frankly, it galls me that someone who routinely berates business Democrats would call on them to fund an effort in another state. From Diamond’s post, it sure sounds like he wants to go to Missouri himself to help these people get elected. On December 31, 2014, there’s a one-way fare from OC to St. Louis for $206. Just how long do you think it would take for me to raise $206 to pay for Diamond’s airfare if he promised to relocate to Ferguson and move out of his humble abode in Brea? I’m guessing 10-15 minutes after this post goes up.

Diamond’s political reputation isn’t beyond saving. He can rebuild it, if he chooses too, but will require one on one communication with those he’s angered, being humble, listening more than speaking and perhaps working on being a better soldier than a someone who believes he’s a general. And its not an overnight conversion. Many of the party influencers I speak with tell me Greg talks the talk but doesn’t walk the walk. There’s a lot of chatter about what the party should do but he’s never around to actually do it. Diamond’s choices are pushing people he needs away and its really hard to accomplish anything in the Party on your own. But hey, he can always go DTS.

61 comments for “The Cancer in OC’s Democratic Party”

snap; one email for the full $206 received 5 minutes after posting…..anyone else want to contribute so Greg can buy some snacks at the airport?

Greg Diamond

August 28, 2014 at 10:48 am

Thanks for the diagnosis of “cancer,” which coming from Dr. Backwards I take as a clean bill of health.

I’ll address the lies and negligent errors in an OJB post, to seek a wider (and wiser) audience, then will summarize those points here.

I can’t get to it really soon because I’m preparing for a ballot designation challenge against execrable Republican political operative Dave Ellis — the sort of thing that, in a well-functioning party apparatus in a jurisdiction of over 3,000,000, would not be left to a barely paid volunteer busy with other casework. More on that evidence of my supposed malignancy later.

Lies and errors; I reviewed this piece with four long time Democrats before running it out and made some changes based on recommendations. One person even agreed with the steps I offered for reputation management rehab but said “he’s incapable of doing this.” You’ve proven this source right.

Greg Rhinestone

August 30, 2014 at 10:14 am

Sixteen comments at the moment, and six of them are from GD himself. Looks like your source who said “he’s incapable of [being humble, listening more than speaking, etc.]” was spot on. I’d call that person wise except that it didn’t take a lot of smarts to make that call.

Dan Chmielewski

September 2, 2014 at 9:45 am

Diamond’s rebuttal: 6,700+ words which is a signed confession of arrogance, personal attacks, and delusions of his place as a leader of the Party. It was posted early yesterday and went most of the day without comment.

Greg Diamond

September 2, 2014 at 10:12 am

Lots and lots of people reading it, though. And note that a good portion of those 6700 words include repeating the text of this entire story for purposes of criticism — in this case, pulling it apart assertion by assertion.

Offering a response composed generalized insults, rather than engaging factual arguments offered , is about what one would expect from the “PR professional.” It’s so sad that some prominent Democrats, to their detriment, apparently listen to his advice (or that of whoever feeds him his stuff.)

Dan doesn’t allow those from off the site to post links, so people will have to find my Orange Juice piece by themselves.

Spent Saturday meeting with four of them; took two phone calls yesterday morning and one at 8AM while sipping coffee after putting my wife on a jet to NY. I talk with lots of people Vern. Hate to burst your bubble.

Dan Chmielewski

September 2, 2014 at 12:53 pm

You have plenty of errors, mistakes and assumptions in your post that I simply don’t have the time or energy to correct.

But I’ll do an easy one. I have met Arnold Forde. Once. Years ago. Quick handshake. I don’t have a shrine erected in my office to worship him. But when in doubt, you have no trouble writing fiction.

Greg Diamond

September 2, 2014 at 7:07 pm

That observation would make me feel really bad — except that I HAVE NEVER SAID ANYWHERE THAT YOU HAD NEVER MET ARTHUR FORDE.

Here’s what I did say:

Chumley, though, has no actual party loyalty. He is loyal to the neoliberal faction of the party that he wants to take him seriously. He gives the appearance of loyalty to the Irvine Democrats — but scratch the surface and that looks more like loyalty to his hero, Republican public relations consultant and public money sump pump Arthur Forde. Forde’s actions tied an anchor around the political fortunes of Larry Agran in 2012 and may do so this year as well, though South County’s most prominent Democrat is gamely trying to kick free.

Where do you GET your ideas about what I have and haven’t written? It’s clearly NOT FROM READING.

Dan Chmielewski

September 2, 2014 at 10:37 pm

Greg, you wrote that Arnold Forde is my hero. He’s not. How you can even write that demonstrates as pitful a political analysis as possible. My wife is my hero. So are my kids. The people I work with. My siblings. All heroes. And there is one friend and former neighbor who is the bravest guy I know. He’s battling MS now. four daughters. Wheelchair bound. Never complains. Always smiling. He and his wife are a daily example of vows of “in sickness and in health.” Keep writing fiction Greg.

This is a well written piece. While I don’t see any benefit in “piling on”, it has to be said that your words are more than opinion.

I first met Greg Diamond three years ago. Like most I was impressed with his pedigree, his passion and seemingly unending knowledge of issues. It didn’t bother me that he had strong opinions, many of us who follow/participate in politics do.

But, reality began to set in and I began to notice you could never get a word in edgewise, if you disagreed on even the most trivial topics he would begin to berate you and even once accussed a party member of being a “bad Democrat”. He has since overused the term business Democrat to death.

The bottom line is I like many others are overcome with dread when we see him coming. He just seems to know it all and us “minions” who don’t agree be damned.

I LOVE Jeff, but it’s hard to believe as long as he’s looking over his shoulder, he will be anything more than a “might have been”.

The party would benefit GREATLY if Greg decided to take a long vacation and visit family in Manila. In fact, getting a motion passed for $5,000. To help him get there would be a SURE THING.

Greg Diamond

August 30, 2014 at 12:07 am

You’ve done an admirable job of maintaining your anonymity. Offhand, I can’t recall a Democrat I met three years ago with the name Alice, so this seems like just more of the anonymous attacks that Chmielewski hates passionately when it is directed at him. Thank you for your courage.

I expect that Chmielewski has used the term “Business Democrat” more than I have, with a different inflection. May I presume that you’re one — or are you afraid that that would give you away?

Thanks Alice; I’m getting lots of email and text messages in support of this piece as “spot on.” I’m asking people to comment here, people would rather let Greg wonder.

Sorry to be anon but I fear GD's wrath

August 28, 2014 at 2:34 pm

Greg’s candidacy for DA actually hurt the fundraising of his beloved SQS because once he went on the ballot more than one OC union decided to send money to T-Rack. Some of that money had been earmarked for SQS.

Two different sources have told me that SQS has asked Greg to stop associating himself with her campaign. Apparently his Trenta-sized ego won’t allow it.

Either that or he’s secretly opposed to her, a possibility that seems more and more likely each day.

What Wrath?!

August 28, 2014 at 5:53 pm

What wrath do your fear from GD? What is there to be afraid of? That he is gonna talk your ear off for 45 minutes that you are a Corporate Dem? Or that he will write a 45,000 word post about you that no one will read because its too long and boring? OOOOHHHH I’m shaking in my boots!

Greg Diamond

August 30, 2014 at 12:13 am

Given that Racky had plenty of money, I highly doubt this — and if they did give him money (having endorsed him well before I even entered the race) it seems more like an offering to keep the wolf at bay.

To the best of my recollection (and I think I’d remember), neither Sharon nor anyone else associated with her campaign have ever told me, even once not to associate myself with her campaign. They wouldn’t need to, given that I never claim any association with her campaign other than favoring her and doing more to oppose her lightweight opponent than all but a few in OC.

Next anonymous rumor from a “profile in courage” to address? Let’s get them all out.

You aren’t the only person who has written me to tell me that sad tale.

Greg Diamond

August 30, 2014 at 12:47 am

Unless one of them was Sharon, Jesus, Jason, or Ed, they’re in no position to say. 1000 uninformed comments with a false rumor have no more weight than 1 — even if your profession sometimes involved drumming up the former.

By the way, I just took a look at your site stats. Congratulations! You have a 91.70% bounce rate — that being the number of people who come to the site and leave pretty much instantly. (OJB’s, by comparison, is currently 65%.) I don’t recall ever SEEING a bounce rate above 90% before. So, uh … keep it up?

Dan: “And how much OJ traffic comes from those seeking news of a tasty breakfast beverage.”

Non-sequitur much? We were talking about how our bounce rate is 30% below yours – that is, that many more people stay to read us than people do with you. Are you suggesting folks come for the breakfast beverage and stay for the entertaining and incisive comforting of the afflicted and afflicting of the comfortable? And folks come to the Liberal OC to look for some liberal OC writing, take a glance and say the hell with this? Maybe you’re right…

Vern, Chris and I have time consuming careers and other things that keep us from posting more than one piece a day. Our high bounce rate is likely due to shorter posts and one or two a day. We don’t need a 3500 prolix post with a vague conclusion. I’ll give you some fodder now. The OCBJ just published their list of the county’s fastest growing PR firms. My shop came in at #19 tied with Curt Pringle & Associates. ha!

GoodOCDem

August 28, 2014 at 7:15 pm

Sadly, Dan, I think you are for the most part correct. I say sadly because I think at one time the OJB, Greg and company did good work for good causes, and in many cases still do. But over the past several months, they’ve collectively become enamored of their ability to uncover the “hidden conspiracies” in way too many posts. Having an honest disagreement does not make one a co-conspirator with the nefarious behind the scenes powers that be. As Dr. Freud pointed out, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. There is way to much “what-if” thinking going on at the other blog and not enough “see the here and now and the way things are.” Their brush is getting way too broad.

I first had the great honor of voting in 1978 and in all that time have cast my vote for the Democrat in all but two races. As a middle class person who works for a living, I happen to think the Democratic Party by and large supports people who share my situation. But I must say, I’d have to think long and hard before I cast my vote for him, and that is unfortunate indeed.

I believe you are right about SQS. She won because she got out and connected with people. It didn’t hurt that Norby is one of the most ethically and intellectually challenged politicians OC has created since Tricky Dick himself. If she wins in November, it’ll be because she’s worked hard for her district, and certainly not because of GD or the OJB. Again, a sad situation for all concerned.

Greg Diamond

August 30, 2014 at 12:34 am

I don’t think that my role at OJB had that much effect Sharon’s race in 2012. The early work I did describing her path to victory was well-read, but others would have done something similar. It was my active dissenting role at FFFF (Tony Busha’a’s Friends for Fullerton’s Future, — archives still online at fullertonsfuture.org — which was the prime online location of the uncritically anti-cop Kelly’s Army) that would have made a difference.

FFFF was the most popular political blog in OC at the time (and the one that housed the community that led to the shockingly successful recall). Being largely a Chris Norby appreciation society, they were highly prone to slam Sharon — but every time they did I was there defending her (pretty much alone) and asking legitimate questions about finding the witnesses to a domestic violence incident that Chris Norby’s then-wife brought against him — and then dropped. (I’m STILL not forgiven for this — because it was effective.)

I was also continually beating back their vicious attacks on Jan Flory, who ended up winning election over FFFF-figure Travis Kiger by (IIRC) 29 votes. Control of the Fullerton City Council hinged on that; had Kiger won, Fullerton would likely now look like Costa Mesa. Again, read the FFFF archives to see the vicious anonymous attacks flung at me there for most of a year. (These attacks here, by comparison, are like being being farted on by fleas.)

I will bet that even if you were sitting on Dan’s lap you and he could not generate an intelligent discussion of the conspiracies going on in Anaheim — most of which are not particularly hidden. My bet is that you were ignorant of what I just described above in Fullerton 2012 — for which I’ve offered you readily reviewable evidence — and that you don’t actually know much about what you’re criticizing me for in Anaheim either, except that the increasingly Republican-leaning Business Trades don’t like anyone getting in the way of the raid on public funds.

If you ever want to discuss these issues with me — without, of course, letting me know who you are, because I have the power to bring down lightning from the heavens or do something else that might leave you uncomfortable by holding you accountable for your opinions — you’re welcome to talk to me about it.

I can do without your vote. I can’t do without my own honor and ethics.

As a follower of the FFFF blog, I can’t help but remember when Greg Diamond got a nail in the tire of his Prius (an affliction that gets MILLIONS of Southern California drivers each year). Yet Diamond somehow twisted this into a conspiracy and in his coy, smarmy schoolboy way tried to blame other bloggers.

This guy appears to be a classic narcissist, certainly he is desperate for attention.
Now Greg, you can look me up. This is my REAL NAME. That said, theres no worming your way out of the critisisms.

Face it dude. You are just not that well liked in the DPOC circles. For that there is only one man to blame: YOU.

Greg is at a South County fundraiser tonight. Must be tough to ask business Democrats to donate while showing much contempt for them

Greg Diamond

August 30, 2014 at 12:40 am

Had a great time, actually. Asking money from Business Democrats — hey, Alice, look who introduces the term into the conversation! — is not my role. Keeping them from using their financial clout from turning the Democratic Party into an echo of the GOP on issues of corruption and environmental ruin and abuse of consumers — even though we’re FAR better than they are on LGBT issues, abortion, civil rights and (despite some prominent people whom I won’t mention out of consideration to the upcoming elections) and MOST civil liberties issues — IS part of my role. No wonder it gores your ox, Dan.

Greg, I’ll stake my record on LGBT rights, civil rights, and reproductive rights on par with yours any day. Being pro business does not automatically mean your corrupt or hate the environment or abuse consumers, but you clearly don’t grasp that changing the way businesses operate to provide jobs for everyone is clearly a goal. There’s nothing wrong with making a profit as long as you’re offering jobs that pay a wage families can live on. You don’t have a role with the party other than being a lone central committee member and candidate. But thank you for the signed confession of your ego and arrogance. Enjoy your irrelevance.

junior

August 30, 2014 at 4:39 pm

While I understand that there is little love lost for Darrell Issa on the LOC blog – I doubt that there are many honorable Dems who would stoop to the level of Diamond’s disgusting comparison of that loyal American of Lebanese decent and member of the US House of Representatives to the murderous scourge organization that calls itself ISIS. The following is from a Diamond OJB blog post:

“Hey, let’s switch the last two letters (of ISIS) … This yields a perfectly serviceable acronym: “ISSA.” (Switching the letters was attempted before, but “ISSI” sounds no more fearsome than “ISIS,” as it evokes “Sissy,” “Missy,” “Prissy,” “Hissy,” and other similar words that don’t sound terroristic.) ”ISSA,” though, sounds mean — in fact, it sounds like a real PISSA!

D. YOU THINK THAT WE’RE JUST BEING CHEEKY HERE.
BUT WE’RE NOT. HERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS WHY.

OJB can anticipate the concern that some of you in our main readership base may have: Is using this superior acronym unfair to Rep. Darrell Issa? Some answers:

Seriously? You’re asking that SERIOUSLY?
Who cares? Is Issa about to lose his election if his name matches that of a terrorist group?
More people worship Isis than worship Issa anyway.
More seriously, to avoid confusion “Issa” won’t be in ALL-CAPS except in headlines, and where we will try to precede it with “REP.” or “PATHOLOGICAL LIAR” or “CONVICTED CAR THIEF.”
Yes, if it matters, it is a bit unfair — and yes, it would have been better if the terrorist group’s name could have been translated into something with the acronym ROHRABACHER or MCCAIN.
Anyway, Issa himself thinks that ISIS is now the greatest threat to the U.S. and its allies in the Middle East, so he should be willing to make some personal sacrifices. And, let’s bear in mind, giving them a name like this can only help to discredit them.
OK, seriously seriously: your author’s trying to figure out a puzzle to the “renaming ISIS” problem came first — and followed pretty much the progression above: keying in on “Assyria” and coming up with ISAS, then realizing the letters could and should be reversed, then cracking up laughing, aggravating his hernia, and having to lie down for a while. So some real pain went into this decision and you should respect that.
So, ISSA it is! If the terrorists are insulted by that comparison, they should have thought through the dangers before they got into the terrorism business.

Greg Diamond’s racist hatred shines through in his comments here. He is a disgusting human being.

xOC Dem

September 3, 2014 at 11:08 am

I can understand your complaints that Diamond can sound like a buffoon, but you seem to be making the argument for him that he is a “player” in the game. A cancer (to use your epithet) is in control of the host.

It is a long-past style to be an a’hole, and Diamond appears never to have learned that long term relationships with those who can be civil and respectful are what creates actual power. Regardless, this article appears to protest too much, as nothing more than a salacious link-bait to drive trickles of traffic to a niche blog.

A’holes never look back at the trail of people in their wake, but it is reasonable to suggest that many, many of them rise from the conflict and make that a’hole a villain of epic (and unwarranted) proportion.

Diamond appears to be a genuine “believer” of whatever perspective comes into his mind, but that does not mean he is wrong on any given matter. It is his personality that is his downfall, not his ethics or even his performance art of “running” for offices he obviously cannot win.

For those with serious opinions about the political matters at hand, Diamond is a worthwhile conversation. It takes the fortitude to ignore his style, mannerisms, and occasionally overly simplistic attacks, but there are some reasoned thoughts in there somewhere. Regrettably (mostly for Diamond), it appears he never looks inward to understand how he causes his own damage. For that reason alone, Diamond will always be the one left at the table while everyone else is on the dance floor.

So no, Diamond is not as powerful over any host as to be called a cancer. Regardless, it is simply juvenile to throw out his ideas and perspectives because it is delivered with his well-documented style of being an asshole. Ignoring what he brings because he can be so very taxing to be around just lowers you to, and below, his level of discourse.

It Must Be Lonely At The Bottom

September 3, 2014 at 2:28 pm

So five days later Greg has had exactly ONE defender. And tjat unhinged soul so fit to bash gays, transexuals and everyday voters in a single post ( which Greg has since removed).

Pretty funny considering how he parades his equality credentials every chance he gets. Besides wasn’t his blog the host of OC’S first transsexual porn star political blogger??

My oh my. Why would anyone call Diamond and Nelson divisive?

Where are his “friends”?, Where is SQS? What about his brother in law? What about Cynthia Ward? The X-OCDEM Guy was right, Greg’s destructive personality has all but eliminated honest denate in the party.

Greg Diamond

September 11, 2014 at 7:57 pm

“Greg’s destructive personality has all but eliminated honest [debate] in the party.”

Pretty funny — even I’D hesitate to say that the DPOC is THAT weak that it can’t handle debate. (Following parliamentary procedure apparently is a terrible threat to it, but honest debate? What a thing to say!)

Greg — if anyone were to attack your wife or stepdaughters and if the comment somehow slipped passed us, it would be gone as soon as possible. That’s out of bounds (and a warning to anyone who would do that) and far more aggressive than the anon attacks you’ve allowed on your blog about my children where I had to ask you to remove it because you weren’t decent enough to figure that out for yourself.

But a fair and honest question here, because you are a candidate for office (again) is how can you be expected to be a good steward of taxpayer money when your own personal finances are so … squishy?

Greg, normally I’d say this “with all due respect,” but since you place political advocacy ahead of things like providing for your family, I don’t respect you. Your words and writing are signed confessions that your family is secondary to you (at best) and I pity you for this. Please take a good hard look at what is truly, truly important to your life and if family isn’t #1, do all of us a favor and go away. Because if you neglect them, nothing else you do in life quite really matters.

Support LGBT

September 13, 2014 at 11:42 am

Way to allow a nasty comment about Tammy McIntyre to stay up on your blog Diamond and Nelson. Red acting part of the comment that is offensive to you but leaving the rest up is pathetic. Fire Igne and a
Ologize for your intolerance

PAY YOUR WAY GREG

September 6, 2014 at 7:58 pm

Greg purchased the url:

DIAMONDFORCLEANWATERPOLICY.COM

Why the heck is Greg wasting money on this crap. When he DID NOT pay his kids bus fee’s at BOHS? Does Diamond claim economic hardship at his kids school too?

Reach out to school boosters. This guy dodges the car washes like Scott Baugh does a debate.

Note to Democrats: You don’t need to be poor, downtrodden, an addict or a gang member to be involved. OCDEM’S need more than the freeloaders like Diamond.

Greg Diamond

September 11, 2014 at 7:54 pm

I responded to the far more vicious version of this person’s comment on OJB.

Some of the relevant parts are: I believe that I paid $1200 all told for my youngest daughter’s high school activities last year. I had pledged to pay the entire $2000 and I still plan to do so. In the meantime, she has had to step down to the introductory, rather than that plus the advanced, level of Show Choir, simply for lack of funds. On talent and drive, she could probably participate in both advanced choirs — but the bill for that is $4000/year. We’ll save up for that for next year and senior year.

By the way, to Dan — I think that you’ve shown an interest in this poster before, back when you and I were on speaking (well, you fulminating and my politely evading argument) terms. Pretty stupid of him to post here.

The person who wrote this comment is a first time commenter here. Single use IP address. I have no idea who it is. But these expenses occur every year in high school and perhaps you should have anticipated that. Your filing fee for your ill-fated run for DA would have been better spent on your daughter’s choir aspirations.

Dan Chmielewski

September 7, 2014 at 10:26 am

Not sure if his step-daughters are still in high school. By the time I paid for my daughter’s ASB fees, yearbook, books required for honors English, choir uniform and sponsorships plus the drama club fundraiser, it was over $1000. Even public high school has a lot of out of pocket expenses.

junior

September 8, 2014 at 6:06 am

“ASBESTOS fees” – what the heck is that about?

Dan Chmielewski

September 8, 2014 at 7:32 am

Junior —
I posted from my iPad; it autocorrects at the last minute; that should have read “ASB” fees…student association fees for dances and stuff like that.

Anton Marc

September 9, 2014 at 12:00 am

I remember a time when one could actually find intelligent, thoughtful conversation at this blog. Unfortunately, it has deterioratedright into a sad, spiteful hate-fest for Dan to show forth his hatred for Greg Diamond and little else. This article might as well have been entitled “Dan C. Hates Greg Diamond, Part 102 (A Forum for Fellow Greg Diamond Haters to Spew Hatred)”. One is left with no doubt that Dan’s ultimate fantasy would be driving Mr. Diamond to suicide through his constant hate filled rhetoric.

This is not to defend Mr. Diamond, who would be best served to ignore the taunts of Mr. C., and perhaps temper his own posts, keeping them focused on his political analysis and away from the ad hominem attacks that are far more a signature of Dan C’s style than Mr. D’s. He would also be well advised to ignore Dan’s tauntsand to ignore his obsessive-compulsive impulse to respond in kind.
As I have previously observed, Mr. D. could certainly improve his polar politesse, which has the unfortunate effect of alienating allies and making it difficult to advance many of the areas in OC Dem politics in which he is spot on.
There is am ongoing battle for the soul of the democratic party in OC and in the state. As democrats have become the de facto leaders of the state, increasing numbers of moderate republicans have elected to identify as democrats (so called “business democrats”) to get elected. The argument of the county being moderate by nature is used by frightened democrats to justify inferior and self serving candidates more concerned with advancing their careers in office than any commitment or dedication to democratic party values or agendas.
This scenario will play out through the 34 th SD race, which Jose Solorio will lose by either a 53-47 to 54-46 point spread. The party will have to reevaluate its voice if candidates at that time.
In the end, Mr. D’s personality quirk and lack of politesse will overshadow the fact that on most of these issues, his analysis was right on, if longwinded.
Then again, sophisticated complex matters do require more words to address.

Vern, you are aware that Joe Dunn is ineligible to run for Senate again because of term limits; right?

Dan Chmielewski

September 10, 2014 at 10:43 am

Rumors of Joe Dunn candidacies for various offices followed by a “he’s not running” announcement have had a negative effect on those Democrats considering running for various offices. How many years has it been since Joe held office? Move on please….

Greg Diamond

September 11, 2014 at 7:21 pm

Yes, Chris — but, as the old rules would apply to him, he’s still eligible for six years in the State Assembly. Vern didn’t specify the State Senate in his comment.

While I presumably know you, Anton, I don’t know who you are behind the pseudonym. I agree and disagree with your comment about where you would expect — but, unlike much of what else I read here, I don’t find any of it offensive.

While I presume that you’d turn down an invitation to talk about this — my loss, I’m sure — I will invite you to think of those occasions where you believe I’ve failed to show sufficient politesse and describe what the alternatives were.

I started into a analysis of the party and its members, but then I remembered where I was and I have deleted it. If you ever want to discuss and of this, I would certainly be interested; this simply isn’t the place.

Marc Restin

September 9, 2014 at 1:43 pm

The first supportive post for Greg and it comes from his brother in law two weeks later.

You know “Anton”, some would argue that yours and Greg’s divisive “my way or the highway” attitudes are just as destructive. I recently read comments in the OC Register that mentioned the attempted take over of OCCORD sometime back. Funny how they mentioned the same intolerance for anything remotely moderate.

You guys should grab Vern and start a commune.

Greg Diamond

September 11, 2014 at 7:27 pm

I highly doubt that that came from Jeff, “Marc.” I can see parts of it that he’d disagree with. Not that that should — or will, or could — stop you from making the allegation.

As your name is unfamiliar to me, despite your apparent “insider” status, I looked it up on Google. I got 21 hits — all of them tracing back to this solitary comment on Lib OC. I think that we’ve just learned something interesting about Lib OC’s traffic figures.

OCDEM

September 12, 2014 at 7:38 am

So I think the point has been made:

Greg has priorities, just like the rest of us. In his case community activism and his good governance stance (however misguided) are more important than family.

Before we “move on” please restrict yourself to a single ID when commenting here please.

Wildcat Mom

September 11, 2014 at 7:52 pm

Well we learned one thing:

You are divisive, selfish and really weird
Do you have a job? Add internet stalker to the list.

Have you paid your kids fair share Greg?

Are you claiming economic hardship to BOHS too?

Sears at the Brea Mall is hiring dude. Help support the Choir. Don’t rely on the “village” while you sit back and BLOG

PAY YOUR WAY

Greg Diamond

September 11, 2014 at 8:04 pm

This person’s comment has also been addressed at OJB.

Yes, I’ve made my payments for my daughter’s participation in the intermediate girls’ choir this year. We couldn’t afford the advanced choir, so we didn’t enroll her. There’s no shame in that; most of Orange County couldn’t afford that for an extracurricular activity, and she’s still gotten a great experience from it.

Here’s my problem with what you’re doing. You are giving the impression that people with United Choirs of Brea actually think and act (through anonymous blog comments) the way that you do here. That’s defamatory towards what I’ve seen to be a wonderful group of students and parents. You don’t represent them or their sensibility; you should be ashamed of pretending that you do.

I won’t bother complaining to Dan about it, as he apparently has a thing for anonymous attacks on political enemies, but I will say to Chris: is this misappropriation of a Parents Booster Club’s identity for an anonymous political attach really what you want Liberal OC to be? Just say so, if so..